


Malleable

by unnecessarybeltbuckles



Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games), Mortal Kombat - All Media Types
Genre: Fluffish, M/M, Requested, decorrupted Shinnok au, kisses in the jinsei
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-10-08 15:14:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17388746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unnecessarybeltbuckles/pseuds/unnecessarybeltbuckles
Summary: Raiden allows a power-stripped Shinnok to accompany him in the Jinsei chamber— naturally, Shinnok takes the opportunity to criticize his art. Requested non-canon oneshot.





	Malleable

“I hate this thing.”

Taken aback by the sudden remark, Raiden frowned and turned his head sharply from the fountain he was washing. Highlighted in the cool glow of the Jinsei, Shinnok was standing and making a sour face at the mural Raiden had chiseled into the walls of the cavern so many years ago; specifically, the one that depicted Shinnok’s fall to the Netherrealm. The banished god claimed by Hell as the mighty protector of Earthrealm struck him down. Raiden tensed for moment, but realized in Shinnok’s displeased but mild grimace that he was scrutinizing the work itself, not the scene. There would be no fight today.

Shinnok wasn’t often allowed to occupy the Jinsei chamber, especially in the attendance of Raiden’s guests, but Raiden decided there was no harm in allowing him to accompany him in the ritual of cleaning the chamber. The Thunder God supposed he should’ve expected that Shinnok would take the opportunity to criticize his art, instead.

“I’m sorry my works are not up to your standard,” Raiden hummed, with genuine hurt seeping into those words. Shinnok’s venom rarey sunk in these days, but Shinnok had been the one to teach him the craftsmanship of shaping materials, just shortly before that very mural had been carved... Unpleasant memories were dredging up from millenia of agitated sediment, and Raiden chased them away with a squeeze of his washing cloth.

But Shinnok shook his head and raised his hand to, in particular, the figure of _him._

“That’s not what I mean. The work is fine— this depiction of me is not.”

Roused, Raiden rose from his knees and stepped over to join Shinnok in musing. Shinnok continued on.

“This is nothing like how I was at the time. One might even say it is the _opposite_ of my qualities.”

As he finished Shinnok tilted his head and raised a brow at him. Raiden’s arms crossed defensively over his chest, because Shinnok was uncomfortably accurate. The burly, war-like man, whose anguish was forever cast in stone, was deliberately everything Shinnok was not… It was a small retribution of sorts that Raiden had enacted, he could admit now. He couldn’t bear to depict Shinnok as Raiden had truly seen him, as the most beautiful and elegant Elder God, when his heart was still brimmed with hurt and rage from his betrayal.

Raiden’s frown deepened with his thoughts. Still, this was rearing bad memories.  
“We had not been on the best of terms at the time.” He dipped his head and stepped away to diligently continue cleaning.

“That didn’t give you the right to so mar my image.” Shinnok traced his fingers over the sharp edges of the headpiece, down to the ugly, enraged scowl. If he’d had any magic left in him, undoubtedly it would have crumbled to dust under his touch.

It was quiet for a few minutes as Raiden returned to his duty of scrubbing the fountain, busy hands distracting his mind from those bitter recollections, but he’d just fallen back into the pattern when Shinnok’s touch on his shoulder startled him.

“I’d like you to make a new one. A different one.”

Raiden paused, then huffed softly as he gave up his efforts, again, and wiped his hands along his robe to stand. He was surprised to look up and find that, rather than his default glower or smirk, Shinnok looked pensive in those faded eyes, an air of sincerity and consideration in his wistful expression. Raiden smiled and gave him his full attention in return, reaching to fondly run his fingertips down his silk sleeves. Raiden greatly coveted these moments, when Shinnok would allow his carefully woven veils of haughtiness and derision to drop for a moment of candor. 

“What do you mean, exactly?” 

“I want you to sculpt me properly. Without the obvious contempt. I believe your impression of me has changed somewhat since then, yes?”

As always, Shinnok’s choice of words were stark. From treachery and anguished resentment, to contented lovers, yes, it was safe to say that Raiden’s perception had changed from those dark millennias. Raiden’s looked to that furious, harsh figure sculpted into the wall, then back to once-god before him, dressed in his peculiar fashion that complimented his lither form, silver hair pulled back with bangs trailing carelessly behind his ears, mouth impatiently thinned and brows cocked as he awaited Raiden’s response. It often struck Raiden how much he still looked as he did when he chaired the heavens. Of course, drained of all powers but his immortality years ago, he wasn’t the figure of incredible divinity that had once brought Raiden to his knees; but Raiden, unspokenly, held an undeniable fondness for this softer image of the previous Elder God and King of Hell.

“I could change it easily enough,” Raiden offered. Shinnok tsked with a shake of his head, fidgeting hands coming to settle on Raiden’s hips.

“No, I don’t want a depiction of the war between us. I want something new that shows us as we are now.”

Raiden blinked, then frowned lightly as he recognized Shinnok’s implications. While he wouldn’t immediately dismiss the idea…

“My followers would not approve.”

Shinnok’s mischievousness flourished back in a smirk and a teasing tilt of his head.  
“No, they wouldn’t. But I didn’t think the great Thunder God would allow his creativity to be quashed by the unfavorable sentiments of lesser beings; how disappointing.”

Raiden just tsked at Shinnok’s banter as he considered it further. Well… He could think of some optimal spots for such a mural, secluded and private, which brought to mind a flurry of ideas for positioning, materials, the tools, the scene... Restless static had been itching under his fingers lately, as all gods held their breaths waiting to see how the realms would settle in the aftershock of universal war; and tediously cleaning the Jinsei chamber helped little to soothe him. A more involved, hands-on project may be just the distraction he needed.

“I may… look into it.”

“I hope you do.” Shinnok’s smirk softened as he wandered his hands up the Thunder God’s side, eyes averting absently. No mocking or biting sarcasm, a serious request… It was apparently something Shinnok sincerely wanted, and the ancient god asked of very little. Raiden decided, then, that he would make it happen.

Shinnok made a questioning noise as Raiden raised his hands to hold Shinnok’s face— gently turning it this way and that, watching how the serene blue light mottled over his pale skin and how the lines of his features flexed and eased.

“Further memorization would be required,” Raiden murmured, subtly closing the distance between them as he thumbed over his jaw. In a heartbeat Shinnok snapped from curious to vexed.

“All this time, and you can’t shape me from memory?”

Sometimes, (oftentimes, if Raiden was being honest,) Shinnok’s need to be scathing annulled Raiden’s attempt at flirtation. He stifled a laugh and tried again.

“Sculpting requires a much more intimate method of study than simple visual reference.” 

With realization Shinnok’s displeasure melted into an impish grin. His arms found their way around Raiden’s back as he hummed..  
“I’m aware, Raiden. Perhaps we should make this a collaborative effort. I’m sure there is still much we learn from— and _of_ each other.”

Finally, after a lasting look, they met their lips with roaming hands and relieved sighs— Raiden relented after a few mere moments, intending it to be short and sweet, but Shinnok lingered, almost touching, breath hot with his fingers curled in Raiden’s hair. 

“Why don’t we start our ‘collaboration’ now?” he suggested in low purr that made Raiden’s heart flutter.

The Thunder God swallowed past the flush building in his veins and looked back toward the fountain.   
“I am not nearly done cleaning the chamber…”

“Yes, I’m sure it will begin to fester and rot in its own filth if you put it off for an hour. Come.”

Admittedly, Shinnok had a convincing way with words— also, he was already pulling Raiden towards the chamber doors. Smiling as he was eagerly drawn along, a flame of excitement ignited in his chest thinking on the chance to redeem the feelings that he and the recovered god had carefully and tenderly rebuilt, and the opportunities for exploring one another that it would award.

**Author's Note:**

> A request I've written for @judgmentfist for her birthday; two days late but I hope it was worth the wait :,D Happ'burth
> 
> Come watch me yell into the void about MK on tumblr @unnecessarybeltbuckles, or @unnecessarybelt on Twitter but much quieter because there's actual people there


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